Game misconduct for not shaking refs hand

[KingKopi11]

So this is a bit of a rant but I'd also like people's opinions on how they feel this should be dealt with. First, a little background on myself and the beer league I play in. The league is split into 2 divisions: A Division which is full of long time players and ex junior players, and B Division, which is also called "Rookie League". It consists of guys who are just starting out, to much better players who just want to be in a super casual atmosphere. This is my second season playing hockey and I'm in the B division, but also spare for teams in A when I get the opportunity.

So here is my situation. Throughout the season I've had a lot of issues with this one ref in rookie league (let's just call him "Jackass") that has a serious grudge against me. His reasons for being so biased are beyond me and the only thing I can think of is that he feels I should be playing in A Div, and thus officiates as though I am the "fox in the hen house" so to speak.

Literally every game he puts me in the box, and I do my best to actually ease off on my competitivness when he's on the ice, but tonight was absolutely brutal. First he called me for a dive that I 100% got tripped on. I do NOT fall down to draw calls and he knows im a strong skater. Then there were two more incidents when I got blatantly hooked/tripped right in front of him and still no call. Had roles been reversed I would have been put in the box without hesitation. Anyways, I held my tongue and didn't abuse him in any way, but definitely felt slighted to the point where it actually ruined the game for me. So here is where the suspension comes in...

At the end of every game the two teams shake hands and then have the option to skate over and shake the refs hands, the key word there being OPTIONAL. I'm not one to be a poor sport and always shake refs hands at the end. At this point though I have completely lost respect for Jackass, but I still intended to shake hands with other one who I had no problem with, so I did exactly that. Well turns out Jackass didn't like that and gave me a game misconduct for "unsportsmanlike conduct" which results in a 1 game suspension. This not only screws me for my playoff game next week, but also the 2 or 3 A Div playoff games I was scheduled to be in during the week as well, since you can't play in either divs while you are suspended.

The irony of all this is the league president plays on my team, and sees first hand the way that ref acts towards me, but claims I can't dispute the suspension because it happened after the game was over. No where in rules does it say it's unsportsmanlike conduct to refuse to shake a refs hand, because as I said, it's completely optional. Do I have any grounds to cause a ruckus about this? Or should I just accept it and essentially be done for the season...?

 

[Summer Rose]

That's terrible. I speak for USA Hockey but rule 601 (Abuse of Officials and Other Misconduct) only specifies that a straight game misconduct can be given for an "obscene gesture" or "racial/ethnic slur". I don't know what even motivated the ref to do that, or how to remedy the situation since it was obviously the wrong call.

People don't shake my hand after games all the time. My reaction is mostly just "yeah well I don't give a **** about you either" I guess.

 

[FLYLine27*]

I'd like to here his side of the story. Seems fishy.

 

[shoeshine boy]

does Hockey Canada have a diving rule? USA Hockey doesn't and I can count on one finger the amount of times I've seen it called (USC, it was alike a Marchand type dive) in the last 12 years of beer league.
is there not a head of officials that you can talk to?

 

[leftwinger37]

The irony of all this is the league president plays on my team, and sees first hand the way that ref acts towards me, but claims I can't dispute the suspension because it happened after the game was over. No where in rules does it say it's unsportsmanlike conduct to refuse to shake a refs hand, because as I said, it's completely optional. Do I have any grounds to cause a ruckus about this? Or should I just accept it and essentially be done for the season...?

Regardless of what happened, how is there no appeals process for this suspension? I don't see how it's relevant what juncture of the game the unsportsmanlike was handed out. If you received the penalty because you didn't shake his hand, he should have to back the call up by showing you where in the rule book it says that the handshake is mandatory.

Also, any league I have played in where the president is also a player, if this happened to their team, things would be "taken care of" very quickly... Not "taken care of" like the ref would be murdered, but "taken care of" like the suspension would be lifted.

 

[KingKopi11]

I'd like to here his side of the story. Seems fishy.

After the game guys were asking what I did to the ref to make him have such an issue. You'd think I banged his wife or something, but honestly I don't know what his problem is. It's not right what he is doing.

does Hockey Canada have a diving rule? USA Hockey doesn't and I can count on one finger the amount of times I've seen it called (USC, it was alike a Marchand type dive) in the last 12 years of beer league.
is there not a head of officials that you can talk to?

A player on my team is neighbors with the head of officials and is going to talk to him on my behalf. I have seen a total of 1 diving call in the time I've played in the league and it was an offsetting penalty and the other player was called for tripping. Players fall all the time in B Div because as I said a lot of them don't have much experience, so calling a dive is a pretty brutal penalty.

 

[mbhhofr]

Unless things have changed since I refereed, whenever a misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty was given, the reason for the penalty was to be written on the back of the game report.

 

[Sinistril]

Why would you not be able to contest it because it's after the game? That's very counter intuitive.

 

[Boot]

Why would you not be able to contest it because it's after the game? That's very counter intuitive.

No kidding. It seems like calling a penalty after the game is over would require a higher level of scrutiny for the call rather than literally no oversight.

 

[KingKopi11]

Why would you not be able to contest it because it's after the game? That's very counter intuitive.

It makes no sense to me either. I honestly can't think of a penalty more worthy of a dispute than this one. The one thing the president did confirm is that we can ask to have that ref banned from officiating any more of our team's games, but that still doesn't solve my current situation. I sent him a long email this morning and brought up the fact that there is no rule in our league about refusal to shake a refs hand, so it's a technical grey area and is wide open to interpretation. I feel it's pretty spineless of the president to claim it's not even open to discussion, when he absolutely has the power to nullify a suspension, no matter when it occurs.

 

[deadman1515]

It sounds like you're a ringer, you play in a division with ex junior players and the rookie league. I don't get the suspension but I get the penalties as ringers get no slack and usually "special attention" from the refs.

Like someone else said I'd love to hear the other side of the story as it doesn't appear to add up, especially if the president of the league isn't overturning it and he's on your team.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

You should tell that ref you're calling in your cousin Dennis Wideman to see if he can play in the next game

 

[KingKopi11]

It sounds like you're a ringer, you play in a division with ex junior players and the rookie league. I don't get the suspension but I get the penalties as ringers get no slack and usually "special attention" from the refs.

Like someone else said I'd love to hear the other side of the story as it doesn't appear to add up, especially if the president of the league isn't overturning it and he's on your team.

I wouldn't consider myself a ringer. Like I said this is only my second season of hockey so I still have a lot to learn about how the game is played. I was taught at a young age how to skate though so that's all I really have going for me. Next year I will move up a division though because there they aren't nearly as strict and actually let you play the game.

I got an email back from the league president and confirmed the suspension will be upheld due to the verbal comment I made during the hand shake. When the ref went to extend his hand I said "not a ****ing chance" and pulled my hand away, and apparently under the rules of Hockey Canada, that qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct. They sure had to dig into the books to uphold that call...

He did acknowledge that there is some sort of conflict between myself an that ref and suggested we set up a meeting to resolve things. Ya f***ing right! It's well beyond that point, my playoffs are already ruined. I will see the ref next season when I join A Div where he actually plays on a team. That bird cage he wears isn't going to save him either.

 

[shoeshine boy]

and the other shoe drops.......
yeah, you shouldn't have said that especially if you said it loud enough for everyone to hear.
do yourself a favor next season, don't take a run at the guy especially since you have now put your intentions down in ink on the interwebs for all the world to see. be an adult and move on.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

That bird cage he wears isn't going to save him either.

Wow - beautiful. Seems like you're handling this just like the mature adult you were claiming to be at the start of the thread.

One request - when this actually comes to fruition, don't come to us to have the thread deleted.

You had me going at the start of the thread, but now I'm convinced that there's something important that you've left out of the conversation.

 

[Boot]

Wow - beautiful. Seems like you're handling this just like the mature adult you were claiming to be at the start of the thread.

One request - when this actually comes to fruition, don't come to us to have the thread deleted.

You had me going at the start of the thread, but now I'm convinced that there's something important that you've left out of the conversation.

No kidding. That's the kind of attitude that gets you in the doghouse with a ref anyway, and is ridiculous no matter how pissed you are - it's freaking adult league. You don't go beat people up for crap that happens in the rest of your life just like you shouldn't take runs at guys on the ice.

 

[STC]

I got an email back from the league president and confirmed the suspension will be upheld due to the verbal comment I made during the hand shake. When the ref went to extend his hand I said "not a ****ing chance" and pulled my hand away, and apparently under the rules of Hockey Canada, that qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct. They sure had to dig into the books to uphold that call...

and of course now we get the rest of the story. Did you also do the slick move where you extend your hand and then pull it away at the last moment?

Based on the rules of Hockey Canada and your conduct in the hand shake line it seems like a legit suspension to me.

You would be better off just skating past him and ignoring him with no comment or profanity. I bet you wouldn't have gotten suspended if you did that.

But, unlike others, I actually support your plan to get revenge on him next season when you play against him. If the guy's that much of an ass to you then by all means take some runs at him when you get the chance to see him on the ice without his stripes shirt on. You'll probably get even less calls in your favor after that, but keep doing it and eventually he might break and decide that making your life miserable is not worth the beatings you keep giving him in the A league. Or he may just start running you from games the second you step on the ice. Fine line between a successful deterrent and simply pouring gas on a fire.

 

[leftwinger37]

I wouldn't consider myself a ringer. Like I said this is only my second season of hockey so I still have a lot to learn about how the game is played. I was taught at a young age how to skate though so that's all I really have going for me. Next year I will move up a division though because there they aren't nearly as strict and actually let you play the game.

I got an email back from the league president and confirmed the suspension will be upheld due to the verbal comment I made during the hand shake. When the ref went to extend his hand I said "not a ****ing chance" and pulled my hand away, and apparently under the rules of Hockey Canada, that qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct. They sure had to dig into the books to uphold that call...

He did acknowledge that there is some sort of conflict between myself an that ref and suggested we set up a meeting to resolve things. Ya f***ing right! It's well beyond that point, my playoffs are already ruined. I will see the ref next season when I join A Div where he actually plays on a team. That bird cage he wears isn't going to save him either.

 

[FLYLine27*]

I wouldn't consider myself a ringer. Like I said this is only my second season of hockey so I still have a lot to learn about how the game is played. I was taught at a young age how to skate though so that's all I really have going for me. Next year I will move up a division though because there they aren't nearly as strict and actually let you play the game.

I got an email back from the league president and confirmed the suspension will be upheld due to the verbal comment I made during the hand shake. When the ref went to extend his hand I said "not a ****ing chance" and pulled my hand away, and apparently under the rules of Hockey Canada, that qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct. They sure had to dig into the books to uphold that call...

He did acknowledge that there is some sort of conflict between myself an that ref and suggested we set up a meeting to resolve things. Ya f***ing right! It's well beyond that point, my playoffs are already ruined. I will see the ref next season when I join A Div where he actually plays on a team. That bird cage he wears isn't going to save him either.

And there it is.

Enjoy your suspension, chump.

 

[KingKopi11]

Well put it this way, the guy's reffing was so out of hand and one sided that he has been removed from officiating anymore games this season. Still think I had no place to act the way I did? The integrity of his officiating was just THAT bad. I didn't pay $400 league fees to have to put up with a butt hurt ref on a power trip. No i didnt reach my hand out and pull it back, he actually reached out at me and grabbed my jersey when I went by him, so yea, "not a ****ing chance". And in regards to what I said about his bird cage not being able to save him, that didn't mean I'm going to go out and fight the guy, it was a figure of speech. That is way too excessive and would result in being banned from the league. I will without a doubt put the body on him when I get the chance though. He may not like me as a ref now, but he is going to like me event less as a player on a level playing field.

The suspension was upheld because regardless of who I did it to, my actions still qualified as unsportsmanlike conduct under Hockey Canada rules. So it is what it is. Shouldn't have made the comment I guess but I was well beyond taking it on the chin at that point.

 

[Roy Baby*]

I'd like to here his side of the story. Seems fishy.

This. Way too slanted and there's obviously details left out.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

And in regards to what I said about his bird cage not being able to save him, that didn't mean I'm going to go out and fight the guy, it was a figure of speech.

You seem to use a lot of "figures of speech".

(I still believe that you intended to enact your own brand of justice, however).

 

[Auston Marlander]

I wouldn't consider myself a ringer. Like I said this is only my second season of hockey so I still have a lot to learn about how the game is played. I was taught at a young age how to skate though so that's all I really have going for me. Next year I will move up a division though because there they aren't nearly as strict and actually let you play the game.

I got an email back from the league president and confirmed the suspension will be upheld due to the verbal comment I made during the hand shake. When the ref went to extend his hand I said "not a ****ing chance" and pulled my hand away, and apparently under the rules of Hockey Canada, that qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct. They sure had to dig into the books to uphold that call...

He did acknowledge that there is some sort of conflict between myself an that ref and suggested we set up a meeting to resolve things. Ya f***ing right! It's well beyond that point, my playoffs are already ruined. I will see the ref next season when I join A Div where he actually plays on a team. That bird cage he wears isn't going to save him either.

Based on this you deserve it. 1 game for being an ass seems fair to me.

If you wanted to handle this like a grown man, shake his hand and ask him why he is acting that way towards you. In one of me leagues I am near the top if not the best player in the league, I never get calls going my way and I get called easily on stuff. The refs have blatantly told me that it is because I am far better than everyone else. They understand I want to play with my friends and to be fair, my team is still in last, even wit 2-4 points per game from me. I I have learned to accept it, play carefully and just use my skating to avoid people taking cheap shots on me.

 

[StrictlyCommercial]

I never shake the refs hand and have never had an issue. Why would you even approach him? Of course you got suspended for beaking him. People get kicked out of games for saying calm rational things to refs, pushing him by beaking is just asking for it.

(I don't hate refs, I just prefer to bag skate myself before the zamboni comes on).

 

[Crosbyfan]

Three things.

1.Hockey Canada really doesn't allow appeals to suspensions. Well they do, but you have to pay for them. For minor hockey it's in the $300 range.

2. You won't win. Well you can...but it would have to be overwhelmingly an error. Like, say, you were actually already off the ice and someone else insulted the ref...then in that case you might win...but then they would have to give you back your money...so probably not...you'd probably still lose.

3. The Players need the Refs more than the Refs need the Players. This is used to justify all of the above.